The present invention is a fragrance testing station at which an alcohol based fragrance product such as a perfume, cologne, eau de toilette (EDT), or the like can be sampled for use at a point of purchase in a retail store.
The most critical moment of a consumer's purchasing decision is at the point of sale. Studies have shown that 81% of consumers would choose a product they could smell and see over one they could only see; 88% of women buy a fragrance for the smell; 72% of consumers said that testing fragrances helps in their buying decision; 84% of consumers have said a scent activation device enhanced a store's image; 67% of consumers said that a fragrance tester would make them “much more likely” to purchase the product.
It is known in the art to provide at a retail point of purchase a sample of alcohol based fragrance liquid product for testing or sampling by a potential customer before selecting and purchasing the product. A bottle containing a quantity of the alcohol based fragrance liquid, sometimes equipped with an atomizer, may be provided at a cosmetics counter attended by a sales associate. Alcohol based fragrance liquid from the bottle may be applied to the skin of the customer in much the same way as the actual product is used after purchase.
The customer may spray a sample of the alcohol based fragrance liquid on the skin, usually on the hand or wrist, and then experience the fragrance by sniffing the site of application. Traditional spray testers are impractical for sampling alcohol based fragrance liquids in an unattended environment. They are expensive, do not last long, become unattractive when less than half filled, are vulnerable to pilferage, can harm customers if sprayed in the eyes, can damage in-store fixtures and surrounding products, and make it difficult to test more than one or two scents at a time due to spray pattern and dosage.
The provision of bottles containing alcohol based fragrance liquid for sampling must be limited to an attended display and supervised by a sales associate in order to prevent pilferage or contamination of the alcohol based fragrance liquid. Sprays also contaminate the air breathed by other consumers. The use of multiple sprays can result in cross contamination of scents to be sampled.
It is also known to apply alcohol based fragrance liquid products by using roll-on devices wherein the alcohol based fragrance liquid is stored in a reservoir having an opening on one end in which an applicator ball is rotatably mounted. The rotatable ball, when rolled over the skin of a consumer, picks up a quantity of the alcohol based fragrance liquid within the reservoir and transfers it to the skin. A spring may be provided to urge the ball against a rim surrounding the opening to prevent more than the amount that adheres to the surface of the ball from exiting the reservoir. Such roll-on devices are normally stored upright with a cap over the roller ball so that leakage during idle periods is avoided.
It is further known in the art to employ reservoirs superficially similar in construction to the above described roll-on applicators in that they have a spring loaded rotatable ball at one end for administering water to pets and other animals in a cage or other animal environment where water must be administered in the absence of an attendant or caretaker. With such feeding devices, the animal is able to exert pressure with its tongue on the ball against the force of a spring to move the ball into the reservoir thereby creating a space between the ball and normally engaged rim against which the ball is urged for enabling water to pass from the reservoir through a space between the ball and side wall of the reservoir for drinking by the animal. Such devices are unsuitable for dispensing alcohol based fragrance liquid in the limited quantities needed to allow rapid and complete evaporation of liquid from the skin with the scent of the alcohol based fragrance liquid left on the skin.
Testing or sampling of alcohol based fragrances (e.g., eau de toilettes, cologne's, etc.) in mass retail chains has been a very difficult challenge for fragrance marketers with no truly effective, low cost solutions. Testing fragrances at point of sale is very important, otherwise consumers will not know if they like a scent or not. Providing tester bottles is the traditional method of testing fragrances. However, tester bottles are expensive, very prone to theft, and can cause damage to surrounding products in the store when the scent is sprayed. An alternative method of testing is put small stickers on the products. Stickers for sampling alcohol based fragrance liquids provide only a rendition of the product. They can appear unattractive if scratched many times when attached to a product thereby increasing the likelihood of damages and returns. Moreover, they are only good for a few activations.
Prior to the present invention, there was no truly effective method available to test fine fragrances in a mass distribution environment. Because of this, the fine fragrance market in mass distribution is largely undeveloped. Consumers who can't sample fragrances in-store are resistant to buying a fragrance they haven't smelled. They must first experience the scent elsewhere, such as in a department store, magazines, or on someone else. This means that fragrance sales in mass distribution are driven by sampling and awareness methods performed elsewhere. Inability to test an actual alcohol based fragrance liquid inhibits opportunities to grow brands organically in mass distribution.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,613,382 to Patterson for a Liquid Dispensing Device Having a Globular Combined Applicator and Outlet Valve teaches a perfume dispenser having a roller ball mounted on an opening at one end of the dispenser. The ball is rotatable in a felt or similar material which absorbs the perfume stored in a reservoir within the dispenser. A spring urges the felt material against the ball which in turn forces the ball against the opening thereby sealing the opening from leakage. When filled with an alcohol based fragrance liquid and in a vertical disposition with the roller ball at the bottom, this type of device will leak and must be capped. Accordingly, there is no teaching in the patent to mount the dispenser on a fixture with the ball at the bottom of the dispenser.
Similar to the device of the '382 patent is one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,314 to Taube for a Perfume Dispenser. Taube's perfume dispenser has a ball urged by a spring against an opening in the device. Again no apparatus for mounting the dispenser in an inverted position is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,495 to McAuley for a Narrow Line Applicator also discloses a roll-on liquid applicator having a ball which is urged by a spring against an opening in a container having a liquid to be applied by the ball. This applicator features a valve for controlling the quantity of liquid dispensed by the applicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,505 to Oder, III et al. for a Venting Roll-On Applicator discloses a roller ball applicator which allows for gases to be vented from the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,022 to Eichler et al. for an Animal Watering Apparatus discloses a device which is mounted on an animal cage for dispensing water to the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,134 discusses prior art watering devices for animals.
Another animal watering device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,129 to Cheng for a Pet Drinking Device Provided with In-Cage and Out-Cage Spouts for Drinking Water. This device is also one where a pet may lick a ball to dispense the water from a container mounted on a cage.
Prior art pet beverage dispensers do not dispense alcohol based liquids. Alcohol is very volatile and will drip or evaporate in a pet beverage dispenser. These water dispensing devices do not prevent or address dripping which is an inherent side effect with this type of device (pets will spill water when they drink from this device). Therefore the pet beverage art doesn't apply.
None of the roller ball devices of the prior art can prevent dripping and evaporation of alcohol based products to the degree required for use in a retail environment in the manner described.